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Radinovich announces run for Nolan's seat

Joe Radinovich, a former DFL legislator, is getting into the race for Minnesota's 8th Congressional District.

Radinovich has put up a campaign web page and announced on Facebook and Twitter that he's joining the race to replace DFL U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, who announced last week he was retiring from Congress and would not seek re-election this year.

When Nolan announced his retirement, "I got calls from Minnesotans everywhere — from Brainerd to Duluth, Virginia to Cambridge — urging me to run for Congress," Radinovich wrote on Facebook. "Now more than ever, we've got to continue this fight, to take on the special interests, and to stand up for working people and families while keeping an eye to the future of our region."

Radinovich was elected in 2012 to represent Minnesota House District 10B, including Aitkin and Crow Wing counties, and is a Crosby native. He lost a re-election bid in 2014, after voting in favor of the state's measure to legalize same sex marriage. His district voted nearly 2-to-1 in favor of a constitutional ban in 2012.

Radinovich went on to manage Nolan's hard-fought re-election bid in 2016. He was also manager of Jacob Frey's successful run for Minneapolis mayor. Radinovich was named Frey's chief of staff in November but stepped down on Thursday.

He's the third DFLer to join the race. Two-term North Branch Mayor Kirsten Kennedy announced this week that she'll also seek the DFL endorsement for Nolan's seat. Former federal agent Leah Phifer has been running for the endorsement since last fall.

St. Louis County Commissioner Pete Stauber is the only declared Republican candidate.